Waking Up The Ghost
by Urau
Summary: Dying and waking up in a fake's body isn't something I expected in my life. Especially not when I was trained to be a killer. And the person I was cloned after...why are people so insistent on waking up the ghost? Self Insert. SI. OC-centric. Eventual KimimaroxIno. HakuxHinata.
1. Chapter 1

**.i.**

My eyes felt like they weighted a thousand pounds each. I expected pain to wrack through my body. One that almost everyone expected once they were ran down by a truck. But strangely, none came. My body was intact—if wiggling my toes and moving my fingers count—but they felt heavy. As if I'd been sleeping for years.

Years since I last moved my arms and legs.

I tried to open my eyes but the world was oddly blue. And the atmosphere around me was cooling and slippery.

Water, my hazy mind supplied. I was in a fucking tank of water.

My eyes strained to see more of the world; of the two men standing before my water prison and talking. One of them held a clipboard, jotting down something whatever the other person was saying. Their words intertwined—fast paced—and my head made it sound like a muddled puddle of sound.

"—waking up—"

"—merely a clone; an imperfect one at that, though she is the only one that lived through it, she needs time to adjust no matter who she was modeled after—"

"—don't care!" the long-haired raven snapped. "I want her ready by next year, the invasion—"

Their voices faded into the distance, suppressed, slowly lulling me back to sleep.

**-0-**

The next time I woke up, I was out of the tank and in a sterile grey room. A man was standing before me. Shoulder lengthed silver hair pulled back into a ponytail, grey eyes covered by glasses, the teen was handsome I suppose, in a ruggish sort of way. He pushed his glasses so that they'd rest more comfortably on his nose as he studied me.

"Can you stand?" he asked. It was suppose to be a kind question but I knew better. An order.

Standing came naturally to those that had learned how to walk since they're infants. But now, no matter how I tried to stand, I staggered and crumpled back onto the ground. My lips wanted to pull into a grimace of humiliation but my face wouldn't move.

I was really tempted to ask for a mirror but my lips wouldn't move. If I could see my reflection, I was pretty sure it would reflect a blank emotionless face. What was wrong with me? I couldn't even stand for more than a few seconds without falling back down and I couldn't even open my mouth.

"I suppose not," the silver-haired man shrugged. "What can you do?"

_Lying down and being useless_, I thought bitterly. No response from me, of course. I couldn't even open my mouth.

"Can you try moving your arms?" the silver-haired man suggested. But to me, it sounded like an order. His tone belied a threat and I was scared of that. Though my ego as large as the oceans wouldn't have let me admit it much less acknowledge it.

My fingers twitched. I gritted my teeth as I pushed myself up into a sitting position with my arms. Pesripiration beaded on my forehead with the effort. I wanted to do something more so I moved my legs. Or, at least, tried to. My toes wiggled but did nothing more.

"All right then, so you can understand me. But your body wouldn't obey your commands would it?" Silver-boy asked and I nodded, seeing no other way to communicate with him. "Interesting. I had half the mind that you would only lay there, being useless."

If I could talk, I would've cursed him. As it was, my eyes narrowed into a glare.

The boy must have took it as a challenge as he smirked. "Determined aren't we? Let's see about that."

**-0-**

The next few days were hell as far as I was concerned. I couldn't move right? The men in white uniforms reversed it by forcing me to eat pills. They tasted like shit, and my body felt as if it was burning up when I consumed seven or nine of them. But at least, I got my mobility back again.

Even so, my movements were sluggish and mechanical. Walking was odd, one step at a time was like a snail's pace. Even a tortoise can outrun me—a star runner back in my school days. Running had me running into walls. Jumping was better. And through it I found out something: I was probably injected with some drugs that allowed me to jump a few feet into the air.

When I landed, I expected to sprain my ankle or something, landing from so high. But I landed with an almost non-existent thump. The scientists—I had concluded that I was in a lab somewhere took that as a success But they still made me run laps. It slowly started to feel easier when my legs automatically spasm those odd swirly things.

Then I was handed a butter-knife, needle and a dagger. I later learned that the butter-knife was a kunai, the needle was senbon and the dagger was a sai. As if I cared. They taught me how to handle those things, which baffled me. If they wanted to train someone in fighting, why not just guns? Their deadlier right?

But I learned too soon not to ask. There were a few others—people that weren't scientists—sometimes together with me. Soon though, the four of them—more commonly known as Sound Four— started taking over my training.

Their way of training meant torture.

They threw paper bombs at me as means of speed training; by the end of the day, I would crash at the hospital to treat my burns.

Jirōbō trained me in endurance and speed training; the guy that threw paper bombs at me. There was a few times were I was pinned down as he tortured me, inflicting wounds on me as endurance training. My mouth wouldn't even open; how was I suppose to scream when I clearly wanted to?

Kidōmaru made sure I wasn't 'slacking'. He too covered my speed training—I still don't get what that was for when there wasn't any war near my country—and was also the first person that made me face reality: I wasn't in my old world anymore. That guy had six pair of arms, his movements were spidery like. He could form webs of still and use it as a weapon. I was pretty sure I hadn't been their trainee, as an enemy, I would've died years ago. He also taught me how to make traps to capture enemies—before slitting their throat, something which I would rather not think of—and get out of one. Getting caught in his traps meant torture.

Tayuya at least knew the meaning of mercy. She taught me rather normal things: like reading and writing. And music. She played the flute, her weapon which allowed her to control her summons. She definitely can sing well. Singing was what she taught me; that silver-haired guy—whose name I later learned as Kabutō—explained that I don't have normal vocal chords.

The ability to talk may come or it may not. But I can sing a wordless song, humming and whistling etc. But no talking. Tayuya said it was fine because I don't seem like someone who could talk anyway. I learned what she meant later that day when I first saw myself in the mirror.

My pale white skin, as white as alabaster would've been immaculate if I hadn't had so much battle scars—no thanks to Jirōbō and Kidōmaru. My bangs were parted like curtains at the top, framing my face; my black hair was dull in the pale and sterile scenery. I looked like I belong, pale and faded like that. My face would be beautiful if I hadn't been as pale as corpse and eyes the color of dark blood. I didn't fail to notice I looked like a ghost and fragile. Though I had certainly slitted people's throat before.

A life for a life.

If I don't kill them; they'll kill me. That's what Sakon and Ukon taught me along with what I can do with my cursed seal. Given by _Orōchimaru-sama_. Thinking about that name made me shudder; I met him a few times but he merely appraised me before leaving. He reminded me of a snake; cunning and dark. Clever and evil. Definitely evil.

Speaking of cursed seals, the shape of each of them were unique. Differs from one another with the exception of the Cursed Seal of Heaven and Earth. A treble cleft barnstar at my throat. My Achilles Heel to cut the long story short. First level gave me almost impenetrable skin. The almost was my throat, one cut and I'm dead.

Stage two of the cursed seal made me look evil all right. The outfit was all red and purple, and it all looked demonic; even my skin color changed to gold. Two sets of horns, and my arms and legs are completely covered by this scaly, crystal shaped demon outfit (or skin). My usually neat bangs covered the left eye. I even have claws, a tail and my feet looked even more demonic with claws and all. The middle of my very flat chest had a diamond shaped imprint. No idea what it was for.

I was out for a week straight once I deactivated it. I concluded that I couldn't use it unless in dire emergency.

I'd adapted to a murderer's life here and had no wish to think of the term 'emergency' since my training was usually an emergency for me to go into the hospital.

A sentence was all it took for my life to change.

"Madara Yuurei, you're being deployed—"

I turned.

* * *

**A.N: Like it? Hate? The next chapter will be longer if you like it. Guess who she was cloned after?**


	2. Chapter 2

**.ii.**

My ears were ringing as my legs moved on their own once I got a scorching glare for spacing out. My throat felt like they were stuffed full with sand but even if I didn't felt so numb, I was pretty sure that I couldn't even speak anyway. A very horrible weakness for a ninja. The term in this world for murderer. Though I always heard from Tayuya and the other Sound Four nins—I still couldn't place why they were so damn familiar from even before I'd met them in this world—that being a ninja and one of Orōchimaru-sama's personal bodyguard was an honor and not many people can call themselves that.

I looked up at Kabutō inquiringly, hoping that he'd answer my unasked question. He couldn't possibly have missed my curious and demanding look, yet he merely smirked, pushed his glasses so that they'd perch higher on his nose to give him a more evil look, and continued on in his brisk yet silent pace.

I mimicked him.

"You must be wondering what this mission of yours is," Kabūtō finally said. "But before that, we must prepare some things for you. For the time being, why don't you take this"—he scooped up a tray from a nearby trolley and shoved it into my arms—"and give them to Kimimarō?"

I swallowed. I'd heard all about Kimimarō, the guy that undoubtedly stronger than the Sound Four combined and was Orōchimaru-sama's most loyal bodyguard. I was terrified of him even though now, plagued by an unknown but fatal illness, he could merely lie in bed and possibly have his throat easily slitted by even some rookie like me.

But nevertheless, I nodded. Tayuya taught me to never show fear as a proud Otōgakure nin. She always boasted of how we're the strongest ninja village though in the history lessons we covered, Kōnōha from which Orōchimaru himself came from was reputated to be the strongest. But I was pretty sure she ignored that part.

As I parted ways with Kabūtō down a familiar hallway, I could practically see him smirking at my fear—the quievering of my lips belied them—and misfortune.

_Asshole_, I thought bitterly as I knocked on the door to Kimimarō's room to warned him of a visitor. I'd learned a while ago that all the ninjas here had egos the size of the oceans and like Orōchimaru, as endless as the sky and they hated being weak with someone there. So, I kindly gave Kimimarō time to compose himself before me, a complete stranger enter.

I quietly opened the door into the small room filled with odd, futuristic devices. The sterile white floors were littered with wires upon wires. The computers were beeping, signaling Kimimarō's life line on it. Something which I could easily take by pulling the plugs out, shutting the computers and the thing that Kimimarō seemed to be using to breathe.

Once I entered, the silver-haired, pale-skinned man took that thing off. He took a shuddering breath that seemed to be painful to him. I walked over to him cautiously and place the tray of food in front of him.

His grey eyes, though hazy and tired, were wary as he studied me. "Are"—his body was assaulted by shudders as he coughed into his hand—"are you that project, that Orōchimaru-sama's gloating about?"

Gloating? I thought he labeled me a failure and just kept me around to see if I could prove useful to him or not; Kabutō seemed quite intent to get that point across to me: I'm just a failure. I stared blankly at him for the lack of an answer. But he just nodded as if I'd just given him an answer.

"It's definitely a success," Kimimarō breathed, eyes half-lidded as he gazed at me. "You look just like—" he broke out into coughing fits again and just to find out who I was cloned after, I reached out to pat his back. But his hand, lightning quick, caught mine in a gentle but firm grip. The message was clear as was the warning in his eyes: don't touch me. There might be an undertone of 'please' but I wasn't so sure.

I canted my head to the side, trying to not show the desperate thirst for answer on my face. I was so damn close to finding out who I was cloned after. Because, in some sort of form, whoever I was cloned after could be considered my parent; I didn't even know whether the person I was cloned after was male or female and no one would divulge the information. Kimimarō however, had no such qualms of keeping a secret of my origins.

But he was obviously too ill to carry a conversation. And Orōchimaru-sama would have my head if he ever found out—and he would since he always have a way to know things—that I made his favorite slave even more ill than he is now.

I quietly slipped outside and closed the door as silently as I could. I took a deep breath and exhaled before turning and heading to the main hall where Kabutō said I was to meet him and Orōchimaru-sama.

I had mixed feelings about that snake-man. I don't like him (hate would be too strong of a word) and it's not like I admire him either. Sure, I was grateful at him for giving me another chance to live—however bloody it is. But I already had plans brewing to flee but with that much of Orōchimaru-sama's attention on me, I doubt I can actually sneak out. He has far too many loyal followers—I was pretty sure I'm not one of them and Tayuya isn't either. At least that was something. But there was also the fact of our similarities. Part of me admitted that I was terrified of being his clone; will I start developing the same thoughts as him too? Why did he clone himself anyway? But those questions were for later when I had truly confirmed who was my original. But my mind couldn't help but wonder (Is my original's personality like mine—sarcastic, proud but silent? Is she—or he—still alive? Will I meet him or her? More importantly, who's my original?)—

My train of thoughts stopped when I arrived at the main hall but only saw darkness ahead of me. Seeing in the dark came naturally to me; so I didn't have to fumble around for the switch. I looked around me; either I got the wrong place or Kabutō was messing with me.

I decided it was the latter and sighing silently, I turned and was about to leave when I heard some sniffling. I hesitated before turning around and scanning the room once more. I hated going into the dark with someone else there, they'd definitely notice how my burgundy eyes glow then. Another huge disadvantage for a ninja but they really shouldn't complain since Orōchimaru-sama's eyes glowed in the dark too. Unless they're planning on insulting him too.

Cautiously, I headed over to where the source of the sniffling came from. Dark, rich eyes met mine. I would be glad to tell you that I wasn't so easily fooled. But unfortunately, I was easily fooled. I reached out to touch the boy's cheeks only for it to be nearly bitten off.

I pulled back in shock, an expression that couldn't form on my monotone face. _So this is a test?_I thought wryly as I leaped back from the supposedly harmless little boy. The senbon needles slipped easily into my hands that they could've just been teleported there.

Experimentally, I threw the senbon needles at the brat only for him to deflect it with his way-too-long sleeves. Damn, he was adorable and cuddly like all five-year-olds were. Were because I doubt you'd find a kid cute when he's trying to kill you.

He lunged at me and I finally realized that those sleeves were hiding _claws_—definitely one of Orōchimaru-sama's experiments, I concluded as I side-stepped the claw that left a red haze in it's path. I drew my kunai next, and met his claw head on.

He drove me away by trying to cut me with his other claw. Kunai in hand, I flew into a series of handseals. _Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!_I spat a large fireball toward the boy. Felt the warmth of the flame as it's heat caressed my tongue and lips.

He dodged and I cursed silently. What was I expecting? For him to be incacipated by just one hit like that? An experiment of Orōchimaru wouldn't go down that easily.

Fine then. _Katon: Karyū Endan!_Kneading my chakra into flames, it formed a genuine-looking dragon. Since the art of having the flames obey the user's will is outrageously difficult, its mastery is restricted to a limited number of skilful shinobi. And I was happy to call myself one of the skillful shinobis in the world to master—though I was still far from being a master, it was a start—this technique. The flames divided to launch a left side, right side, and frontal assault in all three directions at once, turning the enemy into ash in a matter of seconds. That's if the brat didn't dodge.

I didn't want to kill the brat, I realized since I knew that if I'd aimed seriously, the boy would've been charred seconds ago. Che, I'd just have to capture him; I want answers. _Doton: Retsudo Tenshō!_The ground came alive, surrounding the boy and started to spiral inwards on itself. I stopped it before it could crush the boy and willed it to form a hole at the top. Large enough for me to look in but not large enough for the boy to crawl out.

I looked down at the boy. It wasn't a boy, I realized, looking down at the long lashes that only a girl would have. She looked up at me sullenly. Her shaggy brown hair was dirty and while a child her age would be snuggling up with their parents in a dead cold winter night, she was stuck in my jutsu, shivering and freezing her butt off.

The sound of someone clapping their hands drew my attention away from the girl. I threw the newly revealed Kabutō a menacing scowl. If I could talk, I would've said, _You set me up for this_ and _why did you do this to me?_

"You managed to tame one of the beast," Kabutō smirked—oh how I'd wish he'd just fall into a pit and die. "Impressive." That was anything but a compliment; sarcasm laced his tone. He pulled on the chain he was holding, dragging a girl forward.

I didn't need to study her for long to piece her being related to the girl I had trapped in my jutsu. The other brown-haired and eyed child—green, why such an innocent color for a killer?—glowered at me. Or at least, tried to. She was probably terrified of me. That I understand, I was never an approachable person in my past life. Now, with my ghostly appearance, I look even more like a ghost. Who would want to go near a ghost?

I raised an eyebrow at Kabutō. He smirked—when will he stop smirking?!—and elaborated in that annoying holier than-thou voice which irked me to no end. "This two," he gestured to the hazel-eyed eyed child and to the wall where I'd imprisoned the other child as if I was an idiot and did not know who he was talking about. "are your mission."

_Meaning?_I raised both my eyebrows, hoping that he'll get the question. He sighed. "Meaning, you'll have to take care of them. Train them and raise them to be loyal soldiers of Orōchimarū like you."

My jaw would've dropped if it could.

**-0-**

For the next following weeks, wherever I go, the twins—Sen the older and also the green-eyed one, and Rekka, the younger brunette; I'd named them since no one gave them any name other than calling them both Project Secunda, just as some scientists called me Project Superbia—followed. I found out that they both preferred long-ranged attacks and were puppeteers.

Where they learned such techniques, I had no idea. But I caught whispers of Kabutō's name. That bastard probably managed to land a spy in Sūna or had smuggle scrolls about those techniques from Sūna.

Whatever, I didn't care but to do my job properly. The twins were distrustful of me and were terrified of me at first. But I barely paid them any attention, choosing to just endure their incessant whispers and pestering of me to train with them when I had more important things to do.

Orōchimaru-sama's invasion plans on Konōha—that name was very familiar but I couldn't place my finger on where I'd heard it before just as I couldn't remember where I'd heard of Orōchimaru-sama and Kabuto—was put on hold. It probably wouldn't happen for another three to five years. And he was planning on implanting a spy in Konōha. The person he had in mind?

Me. Talk about bad luck. If I got caught, I might just be tortured for information I did not have and beheaded. I tried to lay low, hoping in vain that Kabutō and Orōchimaru-sama might have forgotten me. But Kabutō must've loved torturing me because—from what Tayuya told me—he kept bringing up my progress to Orōchimaru-sama, as if I was his number one assassin. He was practically announcing to everyone that I was to be the spy implanted in Konōha.

I tried not to think too much about it. I distracted myself with the training regimen that I had with the Sound Four and the rest of my spare time with the twins. They were starting to open up some. Not so distant— schizophrenic would be more better word though since Sen used to hallucinate, which drove her into a killing frenzy—and beastly anymore. Not since I drag them to Tayuya and had her teach them human socialization.

Sen and Rekka probably viewed me as their mother or sister figure, turning to me every time for approval once they accomplish something new. It it was reassurance they wanted, I don't think I could do it since I still didn't possess the ability to make any facial expression—though I tried to every morning in the mirror—or speak—I couldn't speak anything, but sing. I suppose, seeing my origins, it was suitable. I was from Otōgakure after all, the villager hidden in the Sound. I wanted to smile at the twins and tell them they did a good job, but I couldn't. I usually just settled for nodding at them and humming a tune of approval. That dampened their moods but didn't actually wipe the big grins off their faces when I pushed two fingers in their forehead —which, oddly, they took as a praising gesture.

That gesture too felt natural. Too natural, as if I had done it more than once and it was to someone else other than the twins. I wasn't sure what to make of it but I didn't try to note it to anyone. But there was something in Orōchimaru-sama's gaze—when it was time for me to meet him in our monthly meetings, or checkups (all clones had to do that, Orōchimaru-sama said though I doubt it; one learned not to trust the snake once it had bitten you.)—that told me he was waiting for something. Some reaction. I'd bet my right arm that he was waiting for me to tell him of my habits that I didn't know I had. And the 'praising gesture' I only show to the twins must've count as one of them.

I wasn't going to tell him. I wasn't a completely loyal servant of Orōchimaru like Kimimarō—who I met with almost everyday since Kabutō signed me up for babysitting and I was forced on with the task to give Kimimarō his meals; at times, I sang to him to soothe his pains but I must admit it didn't do much, I wasn't much of a healer; didn't have a healer's soothing chakra, mine was menacing like poison, Kimimarō said—was. And I didn't even bother to correct the twins when one of them—usually Rekka—cussed our creator. (Sen was usually the quite one but fierce when needed to be; Rekka's named after the fiery spark of a flame, I suppose it was fitting with her bravado.)

Perhaps labeling Orōchimaru-sama as our creator would be too much. He used my orignal's cells to make me so in a sense, I was my original's daughter—whoever that is and as odd as it sounds. So whoever I was cloned after is my creator, not Orōchimaru—but I knew quite a lot of people that would beg to differ. Unless, of course, I was cloned after the Snake Sannin himself. Something which I shudder to think of. I hope not, I wouldn't want to be modeled after someone...like that. What did he do to inspire loyalty in so many of the ninjas in Otōgakure anyway? Fame? Power? But nevertheless, it wasn't of any concern to me.

I merely concentrated on my charge—Sen and Rekka, whom I'd admit that I was starting to warmed up to. I still remember how I'd took part in _that _clan's demise for _that _one man _that dared to touch Rekka_. It happened a few months before.

I showed no mercy.

**~x~**

_I tapped Sen's shoulder to get her attention. The brunette girl looked up at me inquiringly, trying to decipher my monotone face for whatever question I might have. The twins have gotten better at reading my face for what I was thinking and asking once they realized that I wasn't socially stunted but was mute. I pointed to Sen's side where Rekka usually was and stared at her quizzically. It was very rare for the twins to be anywhere but together._

_Sen shook her head. "I don't know where she went. She said she wanted to use the loo—"_

_I sighed and held up my palm, indicating for her to not continue. I made the handsign for stay before leaving, throwing out my chakra like a net to catch Rekka's familiar chakra. Warm and smelled like the sun, as fiery as it was too. The complete opposite of Sen's whose chakra was like the forest which would be easily destroyed by Rekka's spark._

_I found none but a few chakras that were glacier and felt as cold as ice. I bounded over there, crouching behind a bush, eavesdropping on their conversation. What I heard nearly made my blood freeze._

"_That girl's eyes were unique but I don't think it's a kekkei genkai, think we'll make it into Konōha?" the taller and bulkier man asked his partner. I concluded that he was the hard-hitter of the group while the other one was a speed type fighter. Or was a long-ranged combatant as opposed to his partner. I grimaced, troublesome. Those pairs that were grouped this way were hard to beat unless the assailant was someone sneaky; an ambush would work more nicely._

"_It looks enough like Konōha's famed Sharingan, we'll be able to seek refuge there. Did you see the fire in them?" the leaner guy said._

_That's anything but the Sharingan, I thought but couldn't voice it. Rekka's brown eyes' flickered like the hearth everytime she's excited or happy, which was like almost every second. It also flared when she's scared or panicked or nervous._

_I narrowed my eyes at the two men, recognizing them in a minute. Ice-users, that could only explain their chakra. The Yūki clan to be precise, I knew about them, they possessed speed that was rare among shinobis since birth. Which was what made them so feared in battle._

_And also, if they wanted to carry Rekka and run, I wouldn't be able to catch up and breaking into Konōha to save one 'measly failure of a project' will sent Orōchimaru-sama into a raging frenzy at me._

_Their guard's down for now, I thought, I could strike know and they'll never be the wiser. With that thought in mind, I lunged and managed to slice a bloody swathe in the brute's back. He staggered but he wasn't exactly incapacitated._

_I cursed as I leaped out of the way when a barrage of ice came flying at me. It was meant to cause a distraction for even though it'd hit his target, it wouldn't cause much damage. The brute lunged at me and I instantly noticed, now that I was closer, that he didn't possess features befitting of the Yūki clan. They were all slim and lean, pale and rather short. This brute was large, tan and tall._

_A bodyguard perhaps? The metal of my blade gleamed under the sunlight that managed to stream through the canopy of trees, blood splattered in a large flowery shape on the tree bark. The luster of life in the brute's eyes died._

_I stared at him emotionlessly._

_I'd lost count of my number of kills. I did wretch on the first few times but no longer. I was immune now, but I suppose that in my past life, if I could torture a kitten or puppy that dared to leave their mark in front of my house in front of me, I couldn't be all that compassionate._

_I would be... what did the people in my old world would call it? A sociopath._

_The leaner man was wary of me now. I saw in clear detail as his muscles tense, can see where he would leap to... and I lunged to his right, where he would've went to cast another of his annoying ice-jutsus. I didn't know how, but I could always see and predict where my enemies would've moved to. But sometimes, my body would be too slow to move accordingly to my brain and eyes._

_My hands flew into familiar handseals. _Suiton: Suigadan!_The leaves around me immediately withered as their moisture was absorbed by my jutsu. This techniques was one of my favorites and there's a reason why, I sneered as I saw the water gathered together and started spinning like a mini tornado, surrounding the Yūki clan member._

_I concluded that the man was perhaps merely a freshly-made genin. The man's other clan members had nearly even beaten Orōchimaru-sama himself, this man couldn't possibly be one of the candidates._

"_Where is my sister?"_

_I whirled around and immediately spotted Sen. I shook my head and gestured to the man trapped in the water tornado. Drowning, whirling and not too soon, spat him out. Sen was on him in a minute, snarling very much like an animal would,_

_Sen repeated her question and when he wouldn't answer, she started clawing at his face with her sharper than normal fingernails. I didn't bother stopping her, merely watched as she interrogated the man. Just my hand reached out to claw the man's eyes out, he managed to spit out, weakly, "At... at the waterfall. To... your east." He'd looked us at pleadingly then, begging us not to kill him._

_But a nod, claws growing, a red faint trail of claw marks, the blood on grass and the sound of leaves rustling, someone or more than one leaving signaled the failure of the man's plea._

_We found Rekka pretty much unharmed but slightly traumatized from seeing a man's... private parts. His head was lolling on the ground and into the water once my hand fell. I wasn't satisfied with his demise considering what Rekka had been through. I sought out his clan and affiliates._

_If I wanted to take revenge, it wouldn't be half-assed. That clan will go out with a BANG! I remembered clearly of how my blades had been broken by ice, but replaced pretty soon and had continued to slice bodied left and right. The riot in Kirigakure was impressive, ninjas and perhaps family were slaughtering one another. With my pale coloring, I blended in easily with the Yūki clan which I didn't hesitate to make any blade to skin contact with._

"_What is this for?" Orōchimaru-sama demanded coolly once I return, bloody and exhausted, and carrying souvenirs with me. A boy that was probably around the age of Sen and Rekka clinging to me, scrolls containing techniques from the Yūki clan and a carcass that Kabutō and Orōchimaru-sama might want to dissect or clone for their own benefits._

"_A simple test of skills."_

~x~

"—san. _Erai_-san."

My attention came back to Earth—or maybe not, I didn't really know what's the name of this planet. I turned to see who had spoken, but I really had not need to since I'd always know the serene and kindly voice.

I raised a brow at Haku's call of my name. Silently, _How many times must I tell you to stop calling me by my... 'family' name?_was transmitted to him but the last member of the Yūki clan merely smiled, probably ignoring his 'sister's' statement.

By some miracle, this little shell of a boy a few years back, had survived his clan's massacre. One I'd taken part in but he didn't need to know that. He was so traumatized that his mind shut down. Wiping his memories of who'd done the deed to his family but he'd mentioned that he remembered red eyes in the dark. He suspected that it was an Uchiha; namely, Uchiha Itachi who was only current Uchiha capable of such a level of massacre. Just look at the Uchiha Clan.

I looked inquiringly at Haku, silently imploring him to get to the point already.

"Orōchimaru-sama sent for you," Haku looked pained as he said this, as if he was sending me to my death and didn't want anything to happen to me. I wondered if this would be his facial expression had he known that I was the one that had slaughtered his clan. "It's about your mission."

"To where?" Rekka asked, by my side. Constantly, ever since I'd rescued her from a sexual assault at the waterfall which had soon led to the massacre of the Yūki clan, she'd always been by my side. So I was always seen flanked by the twins. My loyal lapdogs, Kabutō said.

"Are we going too?" Sen interrupted.

"We aren't going to leave Yūurei-nee!"

"Yeah, we always go on missions together!"

I flicked both their foreheads with my finger and motioned for the only boy among us—our little family of four, with me as the leader—to continue with the mission details.

"You'll be going to Konōha," Haku cast his gaze downwards. "I'm sorry."

His voice was barely above a whisper but his voice were ringing in my ears even louder than a few years back when I was called on by a scientist and assigned a mission by Kabutō to take care of the twins.

Would I ever know that it'd be my death sentence?

**-0-**

* * *

**A.N: Keep guessing who's clone she is - there're a few clues in here somewhere already. Who should she be paired with? Vote in my profile or leave a review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**.iii.**

I was miserable though I tried to hide any expression from appearing in my eyes or on my face. You must be wondering since when could I form any facial expressions. The answer was simple, my face wasn't exactly perfectly formed thus, the outcome of an inability to move my face. But after many practices, I can scowl, sneer, frown. I never tried any positive expressions before though. Talk about depressing right?

Rekka and Sen and Haku were worried about me, I can tell. But I did nothing to comfort them—I wasn't exactly the type that comfort someone else. Even in my old world, I never comforted anyone. Because of a few reasons. One: I had no friends because I was a freak from a family of freaks. Two: My younger cousin who lost her family came to live with us but was actually schizophrenic, she was raving about things I don't know about. My mother was a drunken mess—she complicated me, saying I was as handsome as my father who was in jail by the way, sentenced for murder. My older brother was a tough guy, he raised me and my younger cousin, Narcissa but he himself has issues. What kind of 14-year-old boy but a sociopathic one that buried his classmate alive? Deliro got off easy because me and Narcissa needed him since my mother, Chione was in no condition to take care of us.

Thinking about my dysfunctional past life family saddened me. I suppose this was a way of not normal as well since... how can someone miss a murderer of a father—though I believe it's okay since this world has a lot of killer fathers—a drunk mother who was rarely ever there for me, a sociopath older brother—though he was a wonderful brother—and a schizophrenic cousin—who I could barely understand—what kind of language did she speak?

I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts in my head. They were gone now, the only family I had now was a pair of killer, beastly twins and a boy far too pure and kind for this cruel world who'd die for me if I asked him to. I don't know why he's so damn loyal to me. I bet that'd change once he found out I killed half his family and manipulated him eh?

"Are you ready?" Kabutō asked quietly. For the first time, his face was devoid of any mocking expression for me. He probably figured I'd die even before I reach Konoha. Bastard. Why can't he be the one lying in bed, ill instead of Kimimarō?

I nodded. The cover story for me to get in Konoha was that I'm a patient. Ill and in need of treatment where only Konoha can provide for me since they spawned the world's greatest medic, Tsunade of the Sannin.

"Oh, and I forgot to mention," Kabutō suddenly spoke up. I tried my best to not glare at him; what else is he not telling me—I didn't know he hated me this much to hide details that might safe my life. "You won't be alone."

I raised a brow. "Kimimarō will be going with you." Oh please, no.

A very funny expression must've been on my face then since Kabutō outright laughed in my face. "Have fun, Mei-chan." That bastard left, after calling my alias' name with sarcasm dripping from his tone.

I buried my face in my hands and counted to ten to calm myself and not turn around, run to that silver-haired bastard and throttle him. Orōchimaru-sama wouldn't be pleased if I kill his greatest medic.

I walked out of the 'lair' and towards the sun. I winced slightly and shielded my eyes from the sun because it was hurting like hell. Half-blinded I climb up the cart and found that Otōgakure was truly well-prepared. Our IDs were all forged and Kimimarō's medical documents were all there. Me and him—why did I just get the feeling that we'll be stuck together in so many other things?—were to pose as siblings. Not hard, I mused as I flipped the page and continued reading. We both had the same sickly appearance: pale skin and tall stature, we even had the same eye shape and prominent cheekbones.

_Name, Ryuuzaki Umi. Thirteen years of age, small for age, underweight, unhealthy. Family, Ryuuzaki Haruto. Status, ill._

I seriously wondered if this shit would ever get us in Konoha or not. I think it just count on luck.

-0-

I couldn't belive our luck—and Konoha's lack of security.

It'd been two weeks since Ryuuzaki Umi and her older brother Ryuuzaki Haruto arrive in Konoha for emergency treatment for the latter.

It'd been two weeks since Enrai Yuurei and Kaguya Kimimarō had left Otōgakure on a top-secret mission.

Either things were going too well, or Orōchimaru-sama had secured an ally in Konoha for us. Either way, I didn't question it. Not when I have an 'older brother' to take care of. As it was, I visited Kimimarō everyday, bringing fruits and flowers for him—they were for show and I could gather information this way.

The flower-seller's daughter—who was a Genin—was rather talkative. I could easily pry things out of her mouth once I mastered the art of manipulation. But I was cautious around her, not knowing how good a Yamanaka can hide things.

"So, so, as I was telling you yesterday," Yamanaka Ino squealed as I was picking out flowers I'd like to give my 'older brother' today. "Hey," Ino whined. "Are you even listening?"

I hummed non-comittally. Which made the blonde Yamanaka sigh, "Man, you really have no life other than visiting your brother with flowers, huh?"

-0-

Ino scowled at the reply she received which was written on paper: '_Yes. He's the only family I have left._' She promptly turned to look back at the raven-haired girl she'd befriended a week ago. At first, she'd thought the girl was an Uchiha but brush it off when she bore no clan insignia and that the Uchiha Clan died out years ago. Leaving only one survivor who had been perpetually bitter ever since then.

Ryuuzaki Umi intrigued her. Ino wasn't blind, she saw how the girl walked with grace and knew she was a ninja even though she claimed to be a civilian and was a civilian like her ID'd said. She was also mute and was sickly looking. Can someone like her be a ninja? Her mother always warned her to not judge a book by it's appearance but this girl really went against the laws of ninja—she couldn't be a ninja with her disablement.

"You need a life!" Ino declared firmly, slamming her fist down onto the table, startling Umi badly that she almost dropped the bouqet of Hydrangea (perseverance). The smaller girl turned to look at the blonde, a bewildered look on her face.

"Come on," Ino said, grabbing the girl by the arm and out of the shop after yelling at her mother that she needed to go out to the village for something. "You need another boy in your life other than your brother!"

The look on Umi's face was priceless: like a deer caught in the headlights.

'_No._' Was the syllable forming on her lips. But Ino ignored her and headed towards the hospital first. Umi shot her a look that clearly asked why they were there. The Yamanaka merely laughed and replied, "We're going to visit your brother first—I want to see how handsome he is—before I show you around the village!"

Umi made a muted choked sound but the smaller girl lead the older one to her brother's room. She knocked on the door softly, in a rhythmic beat that Ino swore could pass off as a ninja communication way.

A muffled cough came from inside followed by a hoarse, "Come in."

Kimimarō hadn't been expecting a guest—a foreign girl—and was midly surprise but he didn't show it on his face. He shot Yuurei an annoyed glance but she merely shrug him off and looked resigned. That left the last clan member of the Kaguya to study the girl that was clearly a Yamanaka with her platinum blonde hair, sharp icy blue eyes and heatlthy fair skin.

She also had that calculating look that all Yamanakas share. Deciding to come off as polite, he greeted her in a hoarse whisper, which was killing him. "Hello there," he tried for a smile but felt the smile tug into a grimace. "Sorry for having you to witness this, my baby sister never told me that she'd bring a visitor in her last visit."

Kimimarō shot Yuurei an amused look.

Yuurei scowled at him but otherwise said nothing to deny his accusation of 'baby sister'. The Yamanaka gathered her bearings and smiled at him, cheeks flushed slightly—he wondered why and from the odd look Yuurei shot her blonde friend, she didn't know either. Not surprising, they were both socially stunted and couldn't tell normal emotions.

"I—it's nice to meet you, Ryuuzaki-san!" Ino beamed at him. "My name's Yamanaka Ino."

"Yes," Kimimarō said. "I've heard of you from Yuu—I mean Umi. It's a pleasure to meet you, Yamanaka-san."

Ino blushed slightly and Yuurei had to wonder what was wrong with her. "I didn't know Umi talks about me to you."

'_I didn't_.' Yuurei mouthed to the wall since she was facing it. '_How did you guys come to that conclusion_?'

Kimimarō chatted rather normally albeit stiffly and awkwardly to Ino with Yuurei as the silent ghost, hidden partially by shadows. It made her seem unearthly, beautiful yes, but ghostly and terrible too.

Yuurei forcefully drag Ino away when Kimimarō started breaking into coughing fits. He managed a shaky smile at the blonde and said, "Do come again. I enjoyed your company...Ino." Once, it would've just been mundane platitude but now, he found that he was only slightly pained when he said that to the blonde.

He need to ask Yuurei about the odd blossom in his chest when Ino smiled those small but sweet smiles at him even though he knew that she wouldn't have the answer for him. But the feeling—was it fondness; it was almost similar to how he felt when Orōchimaru-sama praised him—was comforting and he hoped Yuurei would find it too.

Someday, somehow.

-0-

"Ino-pig," Sakura sneered once she saw her former blonde friend. Her eyes flitted to the pale girl whom Ino was dragging towards her team and she found herself intrigued. The girl was almost as small as Naruto and had the palest skin she ever saw, with a set of rubies as eyes and a shower of dull hair, she definitely stood out in the crowd. She looked... faded in the lively landscape of Konoha, a silent ghost at the very edge of the village.

She was mysterious and Sakura's curiosity was driving her to know more about the girl. Her choice of clothes indicated that she wasn't a ninja. For whatever reason, under the scorching hot sun of Konoha, she chose to wore "punk" or "goth" style outfit. She wore a black parka and camouflage pants with chains daggling from her belt and leather boots. Underneath the parka, she was wearing a black "Death to Barbie" T-shirt, with the picture of a barbie doll with an arrow going through its head, following with some skull earrings to go along with her shirt. But for some reason, she chose to hide the upper half of her face with a cap.

Despite her odd choice of clothes, Sakura supposed that the girl was beautiful in the way Uchihas were ethereally beautiful. She coughed awkwardly, realizing that she had made a rude first impression and decided to amend it. "Er—who's this, Ino?"

Ino smirked her way. "I've decided to quit the Uchiha Sasuke fan-club!"

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing and the same could be said for the punk goth girl. She stared at Ino in disbelief in the way that reminded Sakura of Sasuke's incredulous expression. Is she a member of Sasuke-kun's fan club?

"Why?" Sakura finally managed to whisper, ignorant of her team approaching the three girls.

"Because I've found someone else I liked—"

"What?!" the Haruno screeched before the blonde could finish. "You're in love with her?!"

This time, the raven choked on her own spit. She stared at Sakura in bafflement and disgust. Her mouth formed the word 'what' but no voice came out.

"Ew—don't be disgusting!" Ino paused then turned to her friend and said, "No offense."

Her friend merely shook her head, amused.

"I found a new love in Umi's brother—Ryuuzaki Haruto!" Ino declared shamelessly and rather loudly, drawing the attention of some bemused villagers. "She's Umi by the way."

Umi nodded to Sakura and her team politely.

"Mah, mah. So you found a new friend?" Hatake Kakashi narrowed his single eye faintly at the girl who seemed to duck back under her cap when his gaze landed on her. "I've never seen you around before," he said innocently enough. "are you a new resident?"

Umi shook her head. "Then why are you here? The Chuunin Exams—are you in it too?" Sakura's loud blonde teammate finally spoke up in the loud obnoxious way of his.

Umi once again, shook her head then gestured to her clothes which was fairly civilian so Kakashi translated, "She's a civilian and her chakra levels are that of a... civilian." Though it was oddly supressed.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Naruto asked once again, stalking closer to the quiet raven. "You're almost like Sasuke-teme you know?"

Ino scowled at Naruto before scuffing him and snarling, "She's mute you idiot!"

Immediately, guilt kicked in. "I'm sorry!" Naruto apologized, rubbing the back of his head which reminded Kakashi too much of his deceased sensei; it hurt so much that he had to look away—when he looked back on it, at the funeral of the Hokage, Kakashi will forever regret ever having looking away for he'd miss the way 'Umi's' eyes glinted with malice.

Sasuke studied the girl before him curiously. She looked so much like an Uchiha that he almost thought she was his relative but he shook it off, knowing that it was merely a delusion. Had he looked closer, he'd have seen the look of anguish and confusion in the girl's eyes.

Umi stared blankly at Ino then at Team Seven in a manner that indicated that she wasn't satisfied.

Ino sighed dramatically. "Well, I can see why you're not interested in other boys since your brother is so handsome already"—Sasuke swore he saw the stoic girl roll her eyes—"and other boys pale in comparison."

Umi's lips curves slightly as if there was an inside joke none of them knew about.

Sasuke scowled though inwardly, he was sighing in relief. No more annoying fangirl—even though there were thousands of others in the village. He just hope the punk girl in front of him wouldn't turn into one.

As if sensing his unease, she turned and smiled almost imperceptibly at him. _That _smile. He knew that smile. Umi smiled the same way his brother always did at him: the gentleness in those eyes that accompanied that ghost of a smile. All of which disappeared the time where his brother went crazy with his hunger for power and slaughtered the whole clan to prove himself.

He couldn't comprehend why he was starting to see his brother—whom he'd lost in more ways than one—in this girl. As it was, he refrained from outright glaring at her and all the while, he could sense the amusement coming off of her everytime she looked at his troubled form.

Ryuuzaki Umi, he'll remember her.

-0-

I turned around to study the Uchiha heir when I felt his gaze boring holes into my cap. I didn't mouth any words to him, merely watched him and apparently, others took it the wrong way.

The pinkette who's name I didn't bothered t memorize gasped dramatically. "You!" she pointed at me accusingly as if I had just spit in her face—something which I surely hadn't done and why did she look so damn familiar along with the blonde boy?!—and continued to glare daggers at me. "How dare you flirt with my Sasuke-kun?!"

_What?!_ I was baffled. I didn't say anything to the Uchiha heir, merely looked at him out of curiosity as to why he seemed so familiar, and she accused me of flirting with him? If it wasn't for my pride, my jaw would've dropped.

A long silence ensued before the blonde boy spoke, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Um, Sakura-chan?" he said the girl's name in such a loving way that I felt my goosebumps raising—ergh. "I don't think Umi-chan even _said_ anything to Sasu-teme."

The pink-haired girl with a rather large forehead flushed the color her hair was. "Shut up, Naruto!"

'_Naruto?_' I frowned at Ino for confirmation The Yamanaka stared at me blankly before slapping her average size forehead—why am I still so fixatated on that?—and muttered something under her breath.

"I totally forgot I didn't even properly introduce you guys!" Ino pushed me forward and the villagers' plus the team of four's attention turned to me, making me shrink back under my cap slightly to hide my face—did the Yamanaka know no shame?

"Meet Umi Ryuuzaki—"

"We know that already." Sakura sneered but Ino ignored her and continued. I noted how the pink-haired girl already seem to hate me for something I didn't do.

"—she and her brother came to Konoha in hopes to treat Haruto-kun's illness," Ino ended the last part rather sadly before she cleared her throat and continued at the sighs and roll of eyes she received. "And here is Team Seven: the annoying mop of pink hair is Haruno Sakura—ignore her please—and this blonde here is Uzumaki Naruto"—the Yamanaka pointed to each one of them as she introduced us—"and that guy is my former crush, Uchiha Sasuke. Their teacher's that Hatake Kakashi."

I blanked out when the information finally sank in. I knew there was something fucking familiar about this world and the names. I just haven't fully accepeted it yet—that is, until reality made me face it.

I was in the Naruto World.

-0-

* * *

a/n: i got a question: are any of you interested in forums? if so, please go to the link i pasted in my profile for a naruto forum.

i also know that this chapter's short, but it's a suitable ending. bear with it.

also, an answer to a review by Colors of Iris:

_Thanks for the macron advice. I just thought of it to be fun to type them in. haha. i'll try to change it._

_Sociopath - Yuurei's made to reflect the darker sides of the world, to be more specific, a human's dark side. It's not impossible; not every fics' OCs need to have a guilty conscience. I speak from personal experience, I have no qualms of throwing a cat from the roof top - I hate(read:scared of) them anyway. And there's a post on facebook, a video of how a woman murdered a kitten with her high heels and had someone to record it - what was the recorder doing; why didn't they stop it? And there are murders going on everywhere in the world. To be able to kill so easily... do they have any guilty conscience? I think some don't since there was a girl that killed a little girl for the 'fun of it', to get the feel of it._

_Sorry, I'm into studying psychology, interested in studying the human mind. So I'll always be asking myself or someone else as to why humans think that or this way; their drive to do something._

_About that second part where Yuurei murdered Haku's family and turned to befriend him, I speak from my cousin's life. They humiliated her and then turned to befriend her 'cute' brother. And Yuurei needs to have a compensation for running out of the base - possibly endangering Orochimaru's position - so she dragged Haku into it, he possesses a now-rare bloodline after all._

_But that could also be Yuurei's guilty conscience. She ruined Haku's family and the chance for a peaceful life with a civilian family - I'm making Haku's family as a civilian but in canon, I think his family was a civilian one - she could abandon him... But Yuurei came from 'Earth, our world', and raised in a ... i don't know how you will look at it - family - her background will be looked into later - she is still human, not a robot that couldn't feel anything._

_The parings is unsure as of yet. it might still change in the future._

_Their relationship will be sorta like Ultear's and Meredy's from Fairy Tail._

_Any questions? I hope I didn't bore you._


	4. Chapter 4

**.iv.**

I can't believe it took me this long to realize this fact. Once I'd woken up in this world I'd prided myself in the fact that I can detect more things than I can in my past life. I can't believe I didn't notice this stupid little detail!

I studied the faces before me and merely nodded—for the first time since I woke up here, I felt truly grateful that I was born mute in this new life since I wouldn't be expected to respond verbally; something which I truly doubt I can accomplish due to shock.

This was...surreal to me. I barely registered that Ino had helped us said goodbye and towed me away. My mind whirled with the new information; I was born—made; and I still don't know who's my original-slash-parent—on the antagonists side. I would be blamed for everything; a traitor. To lose the bonds I'd just made here hurt more than I'd thought. I didn't know why. Maybe it was because this world didn't judge me for my exterior looks like how my old world judged me—"_See her; she's the demon girl_" – "_What a freak...coming from a family like that, no doubt_"— by my dysfunctional background.

I squeezed my eyes shut from the horrible memory filled with those stares—eyes filled with mistrust and scorn and rarely ever, pity—at the beatings I got from my mother back when she was really drunk and my brother wasn't there—the wounds, bruises and cuts.

I suppose that was why I barely had any empathy. I'd been interested in psychology because I wanted to know how the human mind worked; to know why I don't feel any pity for any relatives' that'd died. Thus, in my world, borne was my nickname as the Heartless Demon. They should look at themselves; they never gave me a chance to show what kind of person I truly am. Until of course, one drop of a bunch of keys, a car driven too fast, ended my first life.

But I was grateful for my killer... because... even as bizarre as it seems here, it was peaceful—not for long with what Orōchimaru-sama has planned, my mind whispered sinisterly and I liked it here. No one gave me a glance of scorn, just nodded and some even smiled at me regardless of the fact that I was complete stranger in the village.

I wasn't a sociopath for nothing; what kind of sane person would call a world full of killers peaceful? Perhaps because the wars and murders in my world was more horrible than this? Most of the antagonists in the Naruto series had their own reasons but they strove for one goal—even Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito/Tobi: peace.

Something they'd never had in their life which, in my opinion, prompted them to create one for others so they wouldn't suffer. Even subconsciously and as unexpected as it was for some of them (read: Uchiha Madara), it made sense to me. But they don't realize one thing: there would never be peace in this world.

Everyone's dreams differed from one another; though the goal is the same, they worked for it differently. Some of their methods were evil and had to be stopped—in their own eyes because nothing in this world is truly defined as evil or completely pure.

Which brings me to the question as to what my dream and goal is. Everyone had a dream, as trivial it was back then.

Peace? Power? Fame? Riches?—None of them were appealing to me.

To serve my master?—Not in my next life.

I was nothing, I realized. A girl with no dreams. At first, I can simply make it my goal to find a dream. Salvation: a safe haven from the harsh world and maybe even love. The latter seemed impossible though.

The next time I visited Kimimarō, I told him what I thought.

The pale man considered me. "That's...an odd dream but I am not going to judge you," he finally spoke after a moment of silence—not that I can do anything to break the silence other than sing. "My own dream isn't exactly normal."

'_You just want Orōchimaru-sama to be happy and gets everything he wants._' My words were barely above a written sneer had I not want to be nice to my 'brother'.

Kimimarō didn't deny it, he merely looked out the window and down the peaceful scenery of Konoha which would be crush soon in a week when the Chuunin Exams arrive.

"Are you ready for it?" the Kaguya asked after a long pause.

I tilted my head to the side and met his eyes, a ghost of a smile tugging at my lips.

'_I was born ready._' Kimimarō or Kabutō—had the latter been here—would say that I was being too arrogant, but I didn't care. I was proud because I actually had something to be proud over; why waste it?

Looking back on it, I can say that this was probably when I decided that Kimimarō would be one of the few people I'd die for—the other people being Rekka, Sen and Haku and maybe, just maybe, Ino.

"...Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

A polite dismissal. I nodded curtly, stood up then turned and left. My mouth forming the word 'Sayonara' but I couldn't say it and neither could Kimimarō, with his head turned could see it nor could he hear the muted words.

I walked down the streets that had in the past few weeks become familiar to me. The villagers smiled at me; faces that would be dead greeted me and I nodded back politely.

The last thing—or person—that I ever expected to see was one certain Uchiha.

I pulled my camouflage coat tighter around me and decided to just walk past him, unless of course, he decided to engage me in a conversation which I find unlikely.

-0-

Ryuuzaki Umi was walking his way. And it made the last Uchiha compelled to run the other direction because she radiated trouble. Not in the sense of holy-shit-an-enemy-I-can't-beat but that I-am-so-getting-you-in-trouble aura. Now that her damnable cap was out of the way, Sasuke finally managed to see her face clearly for the first time.

And he felt like he was back in his childhood again.

When he'd gotten home yesterday after meeting Umi, he'd went straight to the Uchiha archive for their family tree scroll which held all the names of the Uchihas born. He didn't find her name there, not surprising. But he did find a face that resembles hers clearly: his cousin, Uchiha Shisui and an uncle he'd never met, Uchiha Obito. She also resembled his mother and it always sent a stab of grief through his heart every time he thought of that similarity.

It wasn't odd that Umi resembled so many people since Sasuke's mother, Uchiha Mikoto was the sister of Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Shisui was their nephew through another brother. There were also a few half-sisters and daughters in there but Sasuke didn't bother with them since they didn't look much like Umi except for the coloring.

When Umi smirked slightly, he was always reminded of Shisui's smirk that promised trouble later on. Umi's smile looked like Itachi's and his mother's smile. He never met Obito so he couldn't say what part of Umi resembled that man.

Sasuke contemplated of just letting Umi walk past him since she's clearly uncomfortable around him: she tugged her camouflage coat around her as if she was trying to hide the leather suit underneath—did she has some sort of fetish for leather? Why did she wear it so much?

Just as her scent—a mixture of lavender and pine trees, the painful membrane of his mother's and brother's scent—wafted up his nose, he cleared his throat and called out, "Ryuuzaki." tersely.

Her next step lingered, the tip of her shoes on the ground and the back was in air. She somehow managed to pull it off gracefully. And had she been an Uchiha, Sasuke'd put it off as Uchiha genes. This however, belief shinobi skills.

Umi was half-turned towards him, eyeing almost curiously if not for the predatory and wary look in her eyes which were fairly well concealed—it was almost as if she was trying to let him read her. She raised an eyebrow, an indication for the Uchiha to say whatever he wanted to say to her but he found himself stumped.

He'd called out on her because she simply reminded him of a long gone memory which he'd never be able to reciprocate.

Awkwardly, but it didn't show in his tone of voice or expression, he said, "Where are you going?" and immediately realized how stupid it sounded—no wonder the dobe called him a social idiot. Since when where Umi was going mattered to him nor how was it any of his business?

She studied him curiously before pointing to a dango stand. Then Umi made the gesture of impatience before walking to the stand.

The Uchiha followed her because he had nothing to do at the moment anyway.

Until, of course, right before his eyes, Umi was kidnapped by another shinobi, disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

The villagers screamed in fear, causing a general mass of panic and chaos. Sasuke was stunned only for a second before he give chase. He wasn't exactly a great chakra sensor; but the enemy-nin wasn't doing a good job of hiding his chakra and neither was Umi skilled at doing so. Her civilian chakra was moving at a too-fast pace for a civilian. The ninja was carrying her.

When the Uchiha looked back on it years later, he'd say this was the moment he actually felt empathy.

-0-

_a.n: sorry for the short chapter. but i deemed it suitable to end it here. wanted it to be a cliff-hanger... sorry. it'll be more action-packed next chapter: Sasuke will be fighting the 'kidnapper' and maybe learn more about Yuurei?_

_what kind of fight scene do you want: long or short?_

_and check out my other new stories if you're free!_

_review!_


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